Why is new HK Stadium pitch okay for rugby but not World Cup qualifier v China 9 days later? HKFA demands answer
HKFA board decides to give government one week to determine whether they can use So Kon Po venue or not for World Cup showdown with China
The Hong Kong Football Association has given the government a week to decide whether or not the Hong Kong Stadium can be used for the highly-anticipated World Cup qualifying match against China in November.
The HKFA issued the ultimatum at last night's board meeting, saying it was unanimously decided that they need to know where the clash will take place well in advance.
At the Hong Kong Football Association's board meeting yesterday, it was unanimously decided: "We want to play the match at Hong Kong Stadium and are going to convey that message to the government, asking them to tell us where the match will take place within one week from now. We want more people to come to watch and support the Hong Kong team."
We need to make ticket arrangements and deal with all the logistics. It is therefore fair that we find out a week from now whether we can use the venue or not
Association chief executive Mark Sutcliffe said the request was reasonable given the time needed to prepare for the match.
"We need to make ticket arrangements and deal with all the logistics. It is therefore fair that we find out a week from now whether we can use the venue or not," said Sutcliffe.
The association has been planning the blockbuster match, slated for November 17, at the 40,000-seat So Kon Po venue, but the government's Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD), which owns the venue, has been dragging its feet.
READ MORE: HK$100m for new pitch at stadium but government says 'highly unlikely' to hosts WC qualifier v China
The choice of venue has become a sensitive issue after home fans booed and jeered the China national anthem during Hong Kong's first three home matches.
But 10 days ago, LCSD officials said the Hong Kong Stadium, which had been undergoing a large scale pitch renovation since April, was unlikely to be ready.
They said the pitch would not have sufficiently recovered in time from two days of rugby at the Olympic rugby sevens qualifiers to be held at the same venue on November 7-8.
But Sutcliffe said: "We are a bit surprised it is going to be suitable for a rugby tournament, but then not ready [for a soccer match] nine days later," he said. "Stadiums all over the world recover much quicker than nine days.
"But at the end of the day if the pitch is a real problem, then we are not going to play an important match there. We need to be convinced that the pitch is not going to be ready."
Sutcliffe said the HKFA had contacted Fifa to get a pitch expert to Hong Kong to provide a second opinion.
Meanwhile, the HKFA has been fined 5,000 Swiss francs (HK$39,000) by Fifa. The fine came after incidents at the World Cup qualifier against Qatar at Mong Kok Stadium on September 8. Home fans booed the China national anthem - which is also Hong Kong's - and threw an object. Qatar won the game 3-2.
READ MORE: HK 2 Qatar 3 - hosts come agonislingly close but lose World Cup qualifier
